Heavy Rain, Northwest Providence
- When
- May 9, 9:00 PM EST to May 11, 3:00 PM EST
- Where
- Northwest Providence forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain in Rhode Island, May 9 to 11, 1998
A strong low pressure system to the south and southeast of Cape Cod combined with high pressure over eastern Canada to produce a 3-day nor'easter. Periods of heavy rain occurred from May 9th into May 11th.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS BOX wrote it up.
A strong low pressure system to the south and southeast of Cape Cod combined with high pressure over eastern Canada to produce a 3-day nor'easter. Periods of heavy rain occurred from May 9th into May 11th. Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches were reported across most of the state, except along south coastal sections, where less than 2 inches fell. A total of 4.00 inches was reported at Cranston and 3.07 inches was reported at Clayville. Woonsocket received 2.27 inches. There were no reports of flooding.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
5 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Rain, Bristol
- When
- May 9, 9:00 PM EST to May 11, 3:00 PM EST
- Where
- Bristol forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 41.706, -71.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain, Eastern Kent
- When
- May 9, 9:00 PM EST to May 11, 3:00 PM EST
- Where
- Eastern Kent forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain, Southeast Providence
- When
- May 9, 9:00 PM EST to May 11, 3:00 PM EST
- Where
- Southeast Providence forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain, Western Kent
- When
- May 9, 9:00 PM EST to May 11, 3:00 PM EST
- Where
- Western Kent forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Heavy Rain
- Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heat in Texas, May 9, 1998
- Tornadoes and Hail in Arkansas, May 9, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, May 9, 1998
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, May 9, 1998
- Tornado in Alabama, May 9, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Alabama, May 9, 1998
- Tornadoes in Alabama, May 9, 1998
- Hail in Missouri, May 9, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Alabama, May 9, 1998
- Hail in Alabama, May 9, 1998
- Flooding and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, May 9 to 16, 1998
- Flood in Iowa, May 9, 1998
More
Every storm in Rhode Island in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Rhode Island, May 1998
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5656170, 5656171, 5656172, 5656173, 5656174.